Mercia Asset Regulatory News (MERC)

19 March 2015

Mercia Technologies PLC

VirtTrade confirms partnership agreement with Panini

Mercia Technologies PLC (AIM: MERC, "Mercia" or the "Group"), a Midlands-based leader in the funding and commercialisation of technology businesses in the UK, confirms that portfolio company VirtTrade Ltd ("VirtTrade") has secured an agreement with Panini Group ("Panini"), the world leader in sports and entertainment collectibles, to provide digital trading technology, further to its announcement on 27 January 2015 of a "notable partnership" with an unnamed party.

VirtTrade's trading engine takes the principle of a traditional printed card/sticker album and turns it into an interactive digital trading environment. Unlike traditional trading cards, VirtTrade driven cards can take live data feeds from a player, the IP owner, and the outside world. This significantly enriches the trading experience as well as providing exciting, custom opportunities for each IP owner.

Mark Payton, Chief Executive of Mercia Technologies PLC, said:

"We are delighted to confirm this major partnership between VirtTrade and Panini. The selection of VirtTrade by this significant owner of numerous high profile global IP rights is a strong endorsement of the strength and scalability of VirtTrade's business model."

Peter Warsop, Group Licensing Director at Panini Group, said:

"We strongly believe that a digital trading platform has the potential to increase the success of licensed collectibles.

"Digital trading cards present an exciting opportunity and we feel that, through the application of VirtTrade's proprietary technology, Panini can extend its industry leading position in sports and entertainment collectibles to this newly emerging sector."

Mercia Technologies announced on 27 January 2015 that it had acquired a 21% stake in VirtTrade for £1.5m.

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Note to editors

Mercia Technologies PLC

Mercia creates, funds and develops technology businesses nationally with an emphasis in the Midlands and the North of the UK. It brings technology transfer, company formation, incubation, commercialisation and investment, to technology ventures.

Mercia has a well seeded portfolio and pipeline of investments. The Group has a direct investment in 11 operating companies and access to a portfolio of 38 businesses through its third party funds, managed by its wholly owned subsidiary Mercia Fund Management.

Mercia's shares started trading on AIM on 18 December 2014.

VirtTrade Ltd (http://www.virttrade.com/)

VirtTrade was formed in 2012 after the founders, John Howard and Peter Smith, worked together at moonfc.com.

After leaving to set up VirtTrade they went on to build out a new, customisable platform that feeds off real world data - employing the users' real-world environment and activity to make their trading experience totally immersive - as well as integrating a User Interface based on mobile technology.

VirtTrade has been successful in raising operational funding and also signed contracts to launch a slew of highly reputable and well established sports and entertainment franchise collections in 2015.

Panini Group

The Panini Group was founded in 1961 in Modena, Italy, where it's still headquartered. It is the world leader in the published collectable sector and one of the leading publishers of children's magazines, books, comics, manga and graphic novels, in both Europe and Latin America.

In 2013 the Panini Group sales exceeded 531 million Euros (728 million USD) with sales in over 130 countries, supported by 12 subsidiaries and over 1,000 employees worldwide.